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►Summary:

Being swallowed by Zeus (his cousin and husband), Metis would succumb to the same fate that Cronus´children, as indicated in the Second section.

The Third section will categorize different types of Knowledge, in Ancient Greece; Metis, among them. In that same section, the post will highlight how the word Metis acquired different meaning, changing from the name of the Goddess (Metis, the Oceanid Titaness & Zeus´cousin and wife) to refer to a type of Intelligence (Practical wisdom). Thus, Metis was considered to cover all cognitive processes that were necessary for man in order to face adverse or confrontational situations against powerful adversaries, often in unstable and complex environments. Three examples from Greek Mythology will be provided. Finally, some final thoughts in the conclusion.

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I. ►Metis, The Titan Goddess:

Metis was a mythological character belonging to the Titan generation. Like several primordial figures, she was an Oceanid. She was born of Oceanusand his sister Tethys, of an earlier age than Zeus and his siblings.

Metis was the first spouse of Zeus, and also her cousin.

Zeus lay with Metis but immediately feared the consequences. It had been prophesied that Metis would bear extremely powerful children: the first, Athena and the second, a son more powerful than Zeus himself, who would eventually overthrow Zeus.

In order to forestall these dire consequences, Zeus tricked her into turning herself into a fly and promptly swallowed her. He was too late: Metis had already conceived a child.

As Zeus had swallowed Metis, Athena leaped from Zeus’s head. She was fully grown, armed, and armoured.

Athena´s birth.

Attic tripod with black figures. Birth of Athena. Under the throne of Zeus, the allegorical figure of Metis. 570-560 a.C. Louvre Museum.

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II. ►A (side) note on Zeus and Cronus´Cannibal behaviours:

The similarities between Zeus swallowing Metis; and Cronus, swallowing his children, have been noted by several scholars.

Cronus was the Titan god of time and the ages. He envied the power of his father, the ruler of the universe, Uranus.

Cronus attacked him with the sickle, castrating him and casting his testicles into the sea.

From the blood that spilled out from Uranus and fell upon the earth, the Gigantes, and the Erinyes were produced. The testicles produced a white foam from which the goddess Aphroditeemerged.

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Once Cronus had castrated Uranus, he and his wife Rhea took the throne. Under their power a time of harmony and prosperity began, which became known as the “Golden Age”; a time when it was said that people lived without greed or violence, and without toil or the need for laws. But not all was well for Cronus, as he hadlearned from Gaia and Uranus that he was destined to be overcome by his own sons, just as he had overthrown his father. As a result, although he sired the gods Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades and Poseidonby Rhea, he devoured them all as soon as they were born to prevent the prophecy.

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When the sixth child, Zeus, was born Rhea sought Gaia to devise a plan to save them and to eventually get retribution on Cronus for his acts against his father and children.

Rhea secretly gave birth to Zeus in Crete, and handed Cronus a stone wrapped in clothes, which he promptly swallowed, thinking that it was his son.

Once he had grown up, Zeus used an emetic given to him by Gaia to force Cronus to disgorge the contents of his stomach in reverse order: first the stone, which was set under the glens of Mount Parnassus, and then his two brothers and three sisters.

This would lead the Olympians in a ten-year war against the Titans, before driving them defeated into the pit of Tartaros. Many years later, Zeus released Kronos and his brothers from this prison, and made the old Titan king of the Elysian Islands, in the Underworld.

As to Zeus´s story, relevant to us here, José Cervera accurately notes that the Ruler of Gods might have swallowed Metis (also) because he was to a certain extent aware of the fact that he was lacking something. Meaning: The Practical Wisdom that Metis represented. By swallowing Metis, however, Zeus had gained wisdom as part of his intrinsic nature. This would be a case of Incorporation which reminds us (despite the differences) to the biblical account, according to which Eve was molded by God from Adam´s rib.

For the Greeks and particularly for Plato, Episteme and Techne represented knowledge of an order completely different from Metis.

Episteme means “science”, “understanding” or “knowledge”, with the implication that the understanding was rationally founded, in contrast to mere opinion or hearsay. Noesis, or dialectic reason, is the method used by Episteme.

Techne entails “technical skills”. It could be expressed precisely and comprehensively in the form of hard-and-fast rules, principles, and propositions. Techne is based on logical deduction from self-evident first principles.

Nous is the closest word to “intelligence” but it is more correctly translated as “mind”, and “mental activity”. For Plato and Aristotle it is the part of the soul which perceives abstract truths.

Metis, in what concerns us is another form of practical wisdom, what we would call “cunning”. It is similar to Phronesis in that it entails knowledge of how humans behave, but it is manipulative and deceitful rather than seeking the common good. Cunning intelligence would later be defined as Phronesis.

By the era of Greek philosophy in the 5th century BC, Metis had become the mother of wisdom and deep thought, but her name originally connoted “magical cunning”.

Metis represented a wide array of practical skills and acquired intelligence in responding to a constantly changing natural and human environment.

Hence the word Metis began to be used to denote a particular form of practical wisdom,

The classic case of Metis is Odysseus, as he often used his cleverness to deceive and defeat his enemies. This is found many times in Homer´s epic poem.

•1. One example of Metis as magical cunning appears in Book XII. We are referring to the episode in which Odysseus plugged his crew’s ears with earwax, while binding himself and his crew to the mast of the ship to avoid the Siren´s song.

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•2. When it comes to Metis (magical cunning), the episode of Polyphemus, from Homer´s “Odyssey”(Book IX) is also worth mentioning.

The Cyclops Polyphemus is portrayed as a cruel monster who had devoured a few of Odysseus’ men. The hero wanted to beat him and take revenge so he offered Polyphemus some wine. The cyclops easily got drunk, but before falling asleep, he asked Odysseus his name, Odysseus told him his name was “Οὖτις”, which means “nobody”. While the monster was sleeping, Odysseus used a stake to blind him. When Polyphemus shouted for help from his fellow giants, saying that “Nobody” had hurt him, they just ignored him as they just took his words literally (“Nobody had hurt him”). In the morning, the blind Cyclops let the sheep out to graze. But Odysseus and his men had tied themselves to the undersides of the animals and that was how they managed to finally get away.

“Odysseus Blinding Polyphemus”, early 16th. Italian Painting. Vassar

Head of Polyphemus. Greek or Roman, Hellenistic or Imperial Period, 150 B.C.

•3. Finally, the Trojan Horse. Wasn´t it a great example of Metis or Cunning, as well?. Using trickery rather than violence, Odysseus disguised warriors as a gift, men as (a wooden image of) an animal, a symbol of the Greeks’ future victory as an image of their defeat, and ultimately, a clever trap. Once inside the city walls, the transformation was reversed and the act of Metis revealed for what it was.

“Building of the Trojan Horse” by Giandomenico Tiepolo (1774).-

In these examples of Metis, taken from “The Odyssey”, the emphasis is both on Odysseus’s ability to adapt successfully to a constantly shifting and challenging situation and on his capacity to understand, and hence outwit, his human and divine adversaries.

It is not a minor detail, either, that Odysseus is traditionally aided by Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom.

Athena- as mentioned before- was born from Zeus’ head, after the latter had swallowed her mother, the goddess Metis, because, as it had been predicted to him that his children by her would overthrow him.

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►Conclusion:

Metis, understood as a type of practical wisdom, is commonly found in Greek Myths and Literature. In all its facets and faces of the same phenomenon lies a peculiar kind of behavior. More specifically: the extreme attention, observation, flexibility and creativity to sort out things, under certain “special” circumstances.

However, despite its relevance, Metis as type of Intelligent ability has been also relegated, criticized and even despised.

Plato intentionally ignored it, keeping it aside in his Gnoseological Theory. In turn, he enthroned the discursive Episteme, clearly much more acceptable to him, as he considered that Episteme was related to the highest degree of Knowledge.

Plato´s ideal of knowledgewas sternly rational and hence: Apollonian. He made sure to suppress any “intuitive” shade that might somehow darken the diaphanous light of Reason and Episteme. Indeed, as pointed out before, Plato despised practical knowledge basically because it did not depend on Dialectical Reason (Noesis)and it seemed to be linked to the body and senses, therefore to the so-called “Dionysiac” forms.

Suffice it to recall that for Nietzsche, the Apollonian-Dionysian Dichotomy, (“The Birth of Tragedy”. 1872) represented the opposition between structured, geometric forces; and fluctuating, creative, irregular forms; respectively. Nietzsche contrasted the cerebral Apollo with his half-brother, the hedonistic Dionysus. Apollo, as the sun-god, represents light, clarity, and form, whereas Dionysus, as the wine-god, represents drunkenness and ecstasy.

However, back to Plato, it is worth noting that certain Dionysiac forces still seem to be present in his dialogues. Most times in the forms of myths or allegories.

We could conclude that Episteme and Metis are different types of intelligences.Episteme is rigid, dialectic and Apollonian, while Metis might be quite unpredictable in its reasonings and linked to Dionysus. But despite this, they complement each other. We´d rather say the ideal entails not a dichotomy but, instead, a conjunction of abilities.

José is a Spanish philosopher and blogger. In his own words: “I am a restless and curious being who believes in the religion of books and their healing power. But without forgetting that the mystery of existence isn´t contained in any book. I have studied Philosophy and that led me to distrust everything. Later on, I believed in me. Soon after, in the World Itself and what goes beyond it because it just boundless”. Please check out José´s blog: “El Ritual de las Palabras”. Thank you, José! ⭐️💫.

A wonderfully interesting and well informed blog post, dear Amalia, as we’ve come to expect of you. It is not always easy to find inspiration and to maintain a high level, but you succeed very well. Your enthusiasm for the subject is contagious. Thank you for all that 💫✨💫✨💫😘

I totally agree with regard to lack of inspiration, dear Elisabeth… But, luckily, it stroke again 😀 xx When I rrun out off subjects I´ll have to move to other cultures´mythologies, I am guessing 😉 Hugs

This is a stunningly detailed, erudite, insightful piece of work and one of the many detailed posts I have enjoyed on your site (sometime even using google translate as with the one on Freud as while back). Thank you.
I was brought up in Liverpool where in the local slang (SCOUSE- apparently the word originated from a Norse word for the (pretty universal) potato, onion, carrot and lamb stew) we use NOWSE (transliteration) to mean common sense. It is amazing how the ancient Greek word Nous survived all those millennia and is still in everyday use by people who never consider its origin!

Fascinating history/legends, Aquileana. Chronos was not a nice guy (and I suppose he’s still swallowing us up in a way… in due time. I’m fascinated by the philosophies and how their breakdown and analysis of the kinds of knowledge still make sense today. Great post.

I agree with you as to Cronus… and it seems Zeus followed his father´s example as well.. Not for good, obviously!. But, at least Athena was born, against all odds. Thanks so much dear Diana… I am delighted to read your words… Happy weekend. Sending love! ⭐

Metis in the end was devoured by Zeus. In Hinduism mysticism it is said to achieve sath truth through Liberation. Sath Chit Anand is the unity with God. Liberation is only possible through abandoning all knowledge of this our plane Maya. We must “eat, devour” Metis that practical wisdom that our mind has been desperately grasping since birth. Thus we avoid rebirth.

Trojan Horse is an example of Metis, indeed! I now understand the word better. Here I know Metis to refer to the people of Canada who have a heritage of Indian and White (mix of the two). So now I know too that Metis was Zeus’ wife and also refers to a particular type of knowledge. Wow, so many definitions! Interestingly, earlier today I read a blog post about the many definitions of the word “up.” Language (English especially) is complex! I applaud you both, Aquileana and Jose, on this collaboration! Have a wonderful day 🙂

It feels odd to reply, sigh. Words they are powerful: sweet & bitter… they can create & destroy… but thank you Christy for what you said and for the valuable inputs as to what Metis means in Canada… I wish you happiness & good things in your journey. When I´ll look up to the sky, I´ll remember you, and all the good things we shared for so many years ⭐ Farewell, Northern Star.

It is always interesting to read how manipulative characters in Greek mythology can be, or at least smart when it comes to trying to get what they want. Some may think cunning is evil but sometimes it is just what you got to do to get somewhere. Seems to be quite a bit of talk about bodily function and ingestion, but from the tales here it seems to be the ways that hits your target the hardest – and probably the most quitest way too – hiding the outside from within. I remember the story of the Trojan Horse – looks can be deceiving and the enemy is closer than you may think. It’s smart, and another insightful piece from you 😊

Yes manipulative & smart: those are two attributes many (if not all) Greek Goods/Goddess share. Cunning (Metis) can definitely lead you far, I´d say.. even more if we think of Odysseus, the best example, I´d say.
Thank you, linda for the beautiful & intelligent comment. Means a lot. I am quite down, lost my Instagram account yesterday. I sent a report and followed all the steps they told me to follow. But honestly, I don´t know if I will be able to recover it… sad! … Hugs & happy weekend ❤

I’m also interested in this: “Nous is the closest word to “intelligence” but it is more correctly translated as “mind”, and “mental activity”. For Plato and Aristotle it is the part of the soul which perceives abstract truths.”

You are so right… Mythology certainly reveals the human Psyche… the deeper levels of the Human Psyque I´d dare to say.
And yes, Nous means We in French. you totally got it… I need to visit your blog again to comment in any of the post related to the question I had asked you the other day… I had a busy day, so took a quick read but I´ll be back soon 😀 happy weekend, dear Georgia ⭐

One thing seems to be similar in all mythologies…sinister designs and one- upmanship. The story of Cronus is quite incredible but I guess that is how mystical mythology is!
Wonderfully done post Aqui…so fascinating and interesting! Thanks for sharing. Stay blessed!

I am reminded of Shakespeare and the manner in which he weaved characteristics/attributes via the multitude of actors within his plays; each with certain strengths and foibles. His masterful use of typical human behaviour resulting in an inevitable conclusion.
As I read this incredible essay I could see the logical threads, used by Shakespeare, played out on a somewhat different stage; yet all too similar.
A wonderful read, Aquileana and José.

Dear Carolyn… Such a wonderful comment…. You are so right as to Shakespeare´s characters. I hadn´t thought of it, but makes perfect sense. You are brilliant… Wishing you the best.
Have a lovely weekend 😀

Fantastic, eloquent, well researched, informed and engaging post – but you don’t need me to tell you that! It’s amazing, and one of the main things I love about your blog, that I’ve heard and read so very many of the myths and legends you delve into, and yet you invest a freshness into your work that often makes it seem as though I am reading them for the first time.
Thank you for your hard work and dedication as always X

Something worth mentioning its that cannibalism, has been practiced for many reasons, from survival due to starvation, to a ritual form of cannibalism, it should be said that Zeus by swallowing Metis, he not only gave birth to Athena from his head the Goddess of Wisdom, but as Jose pointed out acquires: Wisdom by incorporation.
In my post of February 20014 I point out the fact of Christian communion Is the transubstantiation of the body and blood of Christ in to the bread, and wine, during the mass, and given as communion to the parishioners.
The idea is to die to the body to be reborn in the Spirit, a symbolic image that it’s recurrent in all myths, and Religions; Jonas in the belly of a whale, Christ crucified, the Dionysus myth the bacchants Cultic rites associated with worship of the Greek god of wine, Dionysus (or Bacchus in Roman mythology), were allegedly characterized by maniacal dancing to the sound of loud music and crashing cymbals, in which the revelers, called Bacchantes, whirled, screamed, became drunk and incited one another to greater and greater ecstasy. The goal was to achieve a state of enthusiasm in which the celebrants’ souls were temporarily freed from their earthly bodies and were able to commune with Bacchus/Dionysus and gain a glimpse of and a preparation for what they would someday experience in eternity. The rite climaxed in a performance of frenzied feats of strength and madness, such as uprooting trees, tearing a bull (the symbol of Dionysus) apart with their bare hands, an act called sparagmos, and eating its flesh raw, an act called omophagia.
Thank you Aquileana to Jose and you for such great post. 🙂

As always you deepen my posts!.
Great points as to the Christian communion and its meaning. And how this might be a symbolic image that it’s recurrent in all myths, and Religions… Even, to a certain extent, in the case of the bacchants/Dionysian Cultic rites associated with worship of the Greek god of wine, Dionysus/Bacchus.
Thanks so much for the valuable contribution…. I am going to search the post you are making reference to in your blog. Sending love & best wishes ⭐

What an interesting, informative and detailed post, and a great collaboration. Although the myths of Odysseus and the Cyclops and Sirens, and that of the Trojan Horse, are well known, I’ve never looked at them before with Metis in mind. You’ve explained about and compared the different types of knowledge and intelligence so well and I particularly like the definition in your conclusion. I also found Plato’s attitude to Metis interesting. Thanks to you both, Aquileana and José for a great post. 😀
I hope you’ve had a really great summer, Aquileana. It seems ages since I read one of your posts. 🙂

Thanks so much dear Millie… Your comment is really appreciated.. I liked that José and I thought of Nietzsche´s dichotomy to conclude… He suggested Hermes instead of Dionysus. Both are oppsed to Apollo… But we picked up Dionysus, because that´s how Nietzsche technically proposed it in his book “The Birth of Tragedy”… I hope your last days of summer are awesome… Have a beautiful weekend 😉

The ancient world with its myths and philosophies amazes us and arouses the curiosity of knowing more. It’s a wonderful post, and I really liked how the theme of the feminine principle Metis, the personification of knowledge and light was addressed. Brilliant collaboration, thank you for sharing, Aquileana !

Interesting to know about the concept of Metis and the mythological stories associated with it. The role of intuition is doubted till date by many rational thinkers, who prefer facts over intuition. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise that rational thinkers like Plato intentionally ignored it.

You are so right as to how Intution might be underestimated by many (if not all) rational thinkers… Plato, among them… But its importance can´t and shouldn´t be denied… As the conclusion of our post highlights. Different types of Intelligence complement each other… Thanks for the great insights here. Love & best wishes, Somali! 😀

Metis…. a very interesting tale, and goddess. This is meaningful interpretation of the myth.
From the first second I saw the word, I thought …Métis (not always with the accent) … from Canadian history. The Metis were of European (mostly French blood) & native (First Nations) descent.
It is a very shameful part of our heritage, from the hanging of Louis Riel to today.
As I read this post, I kept making parallels.
It’s dizzying, starting with practical wisdom and cunning, but that would be another post.
Thank you to you and José for putting this together!
Much love to you, dear Aquileana! Xoxoxo ❤

So interesting to learn about Metis in Canada…I would have never known that, so thank you for the detailed information.
I am glad that you managed to read through it, passing that preconception, as It is hard to do for everyone. You are so clever, my friend.
Sending love & best wishes. Have a lovely weekend. ⭐

Wow! What a most fascinating post. Excellent work Aqui and Jose! I’m going to read it in bite sized pieces. So much to take in. It must have taken you two quite some time to collaborate on. That Zeus character sure got around, lol. Hugs dear Aqui. Wishing you a beautiful weekend. ❤ xx

A wonderful collaboration. As I mentioned another time Aquileana I truly appreciate the breaking of the article into sections. The conclusion also very helpful. Always learn so much from your posts. I knew nothing about Metis previously. The word Metis in Canada refers to those born from the union of First Nations people’s and Europeans. Do you think there would be any connection?

Thanks so much dear Sue… I am glad that the different sections helped to reach clarity… They do for me too, as there are many ideas, mythological accounts in between, it can be confusing!… I love that many canadian mentioned what Metis means, in your own backyard, by the way: I had no idea… Sue, I´ll take a second to tell you something bad: My Instagram account was hacked yesterday. 😦 I contacted the help center, and still no replies. Sigh.. Let´s remain positive… although: I am not sure how it might work out. Hugs & happy weekend. ❤

Fascinating to learn about the different types of intelligence. It’s true that they are rarely present in equal quantities in an individual. Those with a lot of episteme often have NO phronesis, for example. 😉 If I had to choose which one to have a surplus of, it would be metis, for sure. Thanks for another enlightening collaboration, Aquileana. Warmest wishes.

Great point… It is not only that they complement each other, in general terms… But that they differ in amounts when it comes to different people… You are so clever to point that out… I think I am more the Episteme type, which if you stop to think it, is not better than having more Phronesis, at least when it comes to “real life” … LOL. Sending love, dear Julie… You won´t see me on Instagram.. My IG has hacked yesterday. I contacted the help center, but I really don´t know if I will be able to recover my account. It was a very bad thing. I am sad about it! … 😦

Hi Julie, I really would have nevr thought it!… Given my experience (absolutely frustrating), I don´t think I´ll create a new account from zero… all over again: too tiring. But I have thought that maybe I could create a restricted 100% private account on Instagram, just to keep the pics, as I like the slideshares and you can share long videos. From now on, I will send all my pics to my email. I lost many pics, deleted after uploading them on IG. Otherwise, I don´t think so… I tend to believe that my account was disabled or deleted and not hacked/stolen. Which seems to be the worst thing. Hugs 😉

A superlative post and I’m reeling from the violence within them – some I knew, others I did not. A fascinating collaboration and excellent article – the collection of photographs brings an added visual impact to the writing.

A fascinating and well-researched post. Some of the violence I was aware of, but you’ve taught me a lot I did know.
Aquileana, it’s been a while since I stopped in. I don’t know where the time has gone this summer, but it certainly has been busy for me. I hope to get back into my routine after our vacation later in September. Love and hugs, dear friend.

HI there dear Michelle… thank you very much for the lovely words. I bet you had a lovely summer… Sometimes it is hard to get back on track, but hey… blogging calls and that´s surely a good thing, right!? 😉 Hugs and love to you!!!!! 😀

Yet another wonderful post, well researched and beautifully illustrated. Thank-you so much for explaining Metis for me with excellent examples that I will now remember! It was also good to meet Jose – an interesting collaboration! Have a fantastic weekend, my dear friend! 🙂 xx

As I was reading deeply into the post and reading with utmost concentration to get the best out of the wonderfully encapsulated thoughts on our ancient myths and mythologies. So many facets has been dissected in this one post, the more I read, the more I am absorbing the critical essence behind the highly researched body of this work.

The premise of practical wisdom depicted by Metis vs. the power of science of rational wisdom by Plato, is an idea that contest our own thoughts on a regular fashion…we get so much pulled into the force of rationality that we ignore and undermine the power of common sense and unfortunately it has become typically uncommon in our thought process perhaps therein lies the fault-line in our life and living. We keep talking of our intelligence and the rational thinking where the real force of change in history has always been the force of intuitive power and that comes from no where and that redefines the way things have been invented and innovated for changing the world for better and making it a more exciting place.

Knowledge, Intelligence and Intuition has always been topic of fascinating discussion throughout the course of history and very much so in the realm of our ancient myths and legends. The aspects of cannibalism as grotesque to manipulative characters shading their true characters to evil approach vs. cunning thought, have all been so deftly touched, and there is so much relevance to the way success is achieved by planning strategy which would be cunning but interpreted as evil way dealing things to disguise way of countering the competitors or the rivalry that is there to pull us down and we want our ground and we want to hold onto things that we feel is our birth right and we want to dominate on everything around us and we want to succeed at any cost, yes success has a cost but at what cost and whose cost…the ancient characters were no different from many modern characters only that they are depicted in a manner that is sometime difficult to imagine and practically implement…

The more you read the mythology and stories with myths and legends, the more you want to know about these mythical characters, though The Trojan Horse to Odysseus is there in my mind, the characters of Cyclops and Sirens need a fresh bout of recollection and a little more understanding of there impact on ancient world, and the way we look at today’s philosophy…philosophy has always been a fascinating subject for debate and as we juxtaposition in the backdrop of ancient Greek, it magnifies the space for deliberation…

Still more to be shared by me, as I am continuing to pull the various threads of wisdom brought by you Aqui and Jose… lovely piece of combined effort. 😀

Hello there dear Nihar,
I love your comment … as always your comments are so full of wisdom.
I agree with you as to the importance of Intuition…( and I´d say Metis or Practical Intelligence too). You are right when you highlight the fact that we tend to overestimate the power of Rational Intelligence (Episteme) over other types of Intelligences. Intuition, as you said has played a major role when it comes to History.
Somehow, Yes: Magical Cunning AKA Metis entails a sort of manipulative behaviour and that´s because the characters need to adapt to extreme circumstances, being able to sort out many obstacles… I think Jean Piaget was right when he defined Intellegnce as the ability to adapt oneself to a certain situation. No wonder why creativity is an expression of Intelligence!.
I wanted to thank you deeeply for your great comment . From José & me, we are both grateful!… Hugs and happy week ahead ⭐

Always my pleasure Aquileana reading such wonderful repository of wisdom that beautifully resides in your lovely space. I agree it is the circumstances that governs the way we behave to the way we develop our intelligence, when we are cornered and we are pushed beyond our limit we react and then comes the new opening to our hidden tentacles of our from rational and going to more practical and then to the magical aspect of intuitive power.

The more I am reading the myths, the legends and the mythological stories of Greece and the way you do so is such a fabulous work of critical research and touch those finer elements of the historical discourse always amazes me.
Have a lovely week ahead and take care!!!
😀

So is the case with you my dear friend, I get so much to learn from your thought provoking posts and I love to spend my time in your virtual space.
Thanks so much and you too have a fantastic weekend and take care!!!
😀

Okay Metis is new to me. I don’t know all that much mythology but I thought I at least knew the names of most of the mythological personages. As always you’ve done a stellar job wih this post and it has to have put together with a great deal of patience and time. Well done as usual Aquileana!!! Love and hugs, N 🙂 ❤

Lovely to meet Jose on these pages and to read the wonderful work you’ve created together. I was not familiar with Metis so this was a very enlightening post for me. I really liked the comparison of Zeus possibly eating Metis to that of Eve and the forbidden fruit, and the knowledge (with consequences) that they gained in the process. I also enjoyed the evolution of knowledge and agree that a person needs the knowledge of both Episteme and Metis to survive. Good stuff.

Amalia, I really liked section 3. You know I’m an inventor and in forming new concepts, it includes all 3 of the thought and conclusion processes outlined. I find it so interesting that this brilliance existed so long ago. I would love to have met and talked to them. Thank you both for this collaboration.🌻

Thanks so much dear Gene… Such a beautiful comment coming from you!… I wanted to tell you that I lost my Instagram account (apparently, hacked)… Not sure if I´ll be back. It all depends on whether I recover my account or not… Sending love! 🙂

What a wonderful post, Aquileana, in collaboration with José Cervera. Although cannibalism and castration seems repulsive on the surface, it must represent the continual evolution of universal truth. Particularly interesting was your philosophical discussion of what constitutes knowledge and wisdom. The concept of Metis as practical wisdom and cunning is particularly fascinating. I love that Apollo, as the sun-god, represents light, clarity, and form, whereas Dionysus, as the wine-god, represents drunkenness and ecstasy. Yet, both were embraced by the ancients. Thank you again for sharing your insight into mythology. Best wishes, Linnea

Thanks so much dear Linnea ⭐ I am thrilled to know that you enjoyed our post. You are absolutely right as to what cannibalism and castration represent. In fact, some people take myths “too literally”. And the idea is to go beyond the literal sense and try to catch the deep meaning.
I love the way Nietzsche´s dichotomy seems to apply here if we consider Episteme & Metis. But, above all, as we conclude in this post, it is much more about trying to reach a conjunction of both types of Intelligence”, right?. That would be the “ideal”. Sending love & best wishes ⭐

You know dear Aquileana, no matter how many times your write about Zeus and all the Gods and Goddess’s I am always learning something new.. and this post was no exception.. I loved the conclusion… which brought deeper meaning to me.. 🙂
Sending much love your way and thank you for your patience..
Love Sue xxx

Very interesting post, Aquileana. Greek myth is so complicated. I loved reading about the different types of knowledge. Also, even though I lived in Cyprus for a few years, I never knew that was how Aphrodite was born of the surf. Also the devouring of children is very interesting. They could have simply been killed, which is bad enough, but eating your own child is so much worse. And yet they survived. I find this very intriguing. Thank you for such a fascinating post. Have a great week!

There are so many topics on this post. You are right, dear Ali… Plus, most of them will be even included among psychologists´works, such as Freud´s. A myth is a symbolic account and we can´t just read it literally, I´d say. We need to go beyond the words, right?.
I have been wanting to visit you but have been sorting out some personal issues, and just had time to share your last post on Twitter. I´ll drop in anytime soon, ok?!. Love & best wishes ⭐

“As Zeus had swallowed Metis, Athena leaped from Zeus’s head. She was fully grown, armed, and armoured.” I knew there had to be a good reason for Athena’s interesting birth, lol, thanks for this great post, Aquileana! And yes, Odysseus is the king of Metis, isn’t he??!! much love and many hugs to you, dear friend, hope all is well! xoxoxo ;^)

Thanks so much for dropping in and for such valuable comment dear Kathleen. I love the fact that Athena, being born from Zeus´head represents wisdom in Greek Mythology… Everything happens for a reason, I guess 😀
Yes, absolutely… I couldn´t find a better personification of Metis as Practical Wisdom than Odysseus himself… Sending love & best wishes Hugs. xo ⭐

Hi again, I have tried twice to leave a comment on the post “You hold the pen”… But they failed… Please check out your spam folder. I´ll retry again tomorrow (I have the comment in my email).
Love & best wishes 🙂

Another fascinating post and a great collaboration! Indeed, some gods display similar behavior. Consuming their own species, and especially their own children, is something extraordinary, and Zeus has obviously inherited this vice from his father Cronus. Here we have the first lesson in genetics 😉
Great insight on the different types of knowledge. Thank you for this very informative post. xxxx

Once again Aquileana ~ you take us on a great ride back in time. A time we should revisit more often, of thinkers and doers 🙂 The wisdom in this post even more valuable, as it seems societies around the world are under stress, and that is when we need to pay extreme attention, observation, flexibility and creativity to sort out things out. Cheers to a great weekend for you!

Hi Dalo—- Thank you very much. Such clever and accurate insights. I think we need to remember how important Metis could be in a global scale. I definitely agree with you!. I appreciate the visit and comment, my dear … Wishing you the best ⭐ xx

I always gain psychological insight from your posts, Aquileana. Did the Greeks deliberately devise their myths to convey the meaning you uncover for your readers or were the ancients attracted to these stories intuitively? Thanks for another great read! ❤

Dear Anna, I believe Greek Myths were deliberately created to teach us a lesson. The meaning is a further step, given from association in this case. The examples from the Odyssey definitely show us “Odysseus´performative Metis”. I think the idea of practical knowledge and cunning (Metis) is a leitmotif in Greek Myths.
For example the topic: Zeus as a lover : well, there are too many examples of Metis if we think so, too 😀
Thanks so much for dropping in. Sending love & best wishes 🙂

A brilliant collaborative post again Aquileana. I always learn a lot from your posts. Wonderful slideshows of paintings, including the horrific Goya. Nice to see Nietzsche Birth of Tragedy mentioned as well. Congratulations as always to you and Jose. I am, as always in awe of your erudition and learning.

Thanks so much dear Alan. From both of us!. Very glad to know that you enjoyed this collaboration. Nietzsche´s dichotomy is so visually accurate. I guess we can even use it to define “personalities”. Excellent to “see” you. Sending love & best wishes ⭐

Thanks as always for the enlightening post. It’s not often we think about how different types of knowledge carry various connotations, but they really do. I probably most excel in the area of common sense and making good judgements.

Thanks for dropping in and for your comment dear Jeri… Very much appreciated!… Common sense and good judgements: yes that´s you. (Plus your Intelligence which is clearly recognizable). I guess common sense & metis are most times underestimated, but, in fact they are often given by our own experiences. And so useful in Life… 😉 Sending love & best wishes 😀

Ah, so that is how Athena was conceived. I’ve been wondering how she got to be in Zeus head in the first place. I appreciate, too, the genealogy account about the others gods and goddesses. I think this is the first time I read about the parentage of Zeus brothers.

I’d say that Game of Thrones is tame compared to the intrigue and machinations and blood animates Greek mythology. 🙂

Thank you very much for such a thoughtful and great comment, dear Imelda… I am glad that you enjoyed the post and that you found the genealogy account useful. I think it could be confusing, moreover with the First Generations of Gods/Goddesses as they are not so well-known to us. I totally see what you point out as to Game of Thrones: True . 😉 😀 wishing you a nice weekend ahead. Love!

Thank you very much for dropping in and for the great comment, Char! 😀 Thus, you are a fine blend involving Episteme & Metis!: absolutely. I can see that 😀 🙂 wishing you a good weekend ahead. Sending love! xx

Buongiorno cara Aquileana, What a fascinating article, and I particularly enjoy the references to Plato and his concept on Metis – philosophy of knowledge. Every time I read your articles on Greek mythology, it highlights why I love it so much.
Fabulous. Enjoy your weekend.
ciao
Luciana

Thank you very much, cara Luciana… SO grateful to read your words and know that you enjoyed the post. I like that we both share our passion for Greek Mythology and History!. Un abbraccio. Happy week ahead ⭐

I am so late arriving here dear Aquileana. As happens your blog dropped from my msil and reader and I must refollow you to make sure I don’t miss your fabulous and captivating articles. This is truly outstanding! Beautiful tale and images , exceptional in everyway. I must visit Jose’s blog , he is uniquely gifted and a fantastic partner in collaboration for your intense and intricate posts on mythology. Thank you so much for this captivating And extremely entertaining myth. Take very good care dear lady. Many hugs ! Holly

Thank you very much dear Holly… Your comment means so much to me. You are a favorite poet of me, so your words are absolutely meaningful to me ⭐ I am so grateful! 😉 So glad to know that you liked the poist, my friend… Sending love & best wishes across the miles xo ❤

I am always mystified at the amazing intricate text you compose dear Aquileana, I would never want miss them. Once again, you have surpassed yourself and brought a beautifully composed and illustrated tales of Gods. Thank you for all the work you put into these, I hope you know it is so beautiful and appreciated. My best to Jose who did a lovely accompaniment. Love and warm wishes across the miles to you . xo ❤

Thank you my lovely Holly!… I am delighted and very grateful to read your words… I thank on behalf of José as well. Hope you are having a good week so far… And getting ready to the new season ahead!. Much love & my best wishes xo ⭐

These historical narratives are so relevant to our times. Take Metis, for example: she’d become the mother of wisdom, but her name had originally meant ‘magical cunning.’ In today’s time, cunning (magical or otherwise) is effective, and has replaced wisdom (although we don’t know how long it’ll last). Metis acquired intelligence to respond to a constantly changing environment. Won’t a cunning/intelligent/clever person do just that? The name ‘practical wisdom’ is therefore apt as it purifies the deceit that the word ‘cunning’ means.

What Odysseus did – plugging his crew’s ears with earwax and binding himself and his crew to the mast of the ship to avoid the Siren´s song – is indeed called practical wisdom today. I can imagine a CEO of a company doing this (not plugging his employees’ ears with wax, but something that’s “hesitantly accepted” in a corporate set up) and he’d be applauded for his practical wisdom and sense of humor (although we don’t know how long he’ll last).

Hi there dear Mahesh!,
Thank you very much for such a clever comment here… I agree with you when you say that nowadays cunning might have replaced wisdom… We are used to live in a materialistic, pragmatic society I guess.
And when it comes to Knowledge, the main type these days is probably technical knowledge, I´d say. So, yes, definitely wisdom is being tossed aside… I´d say that Metis (understood as practical knowldge and magical cunning) is one of the most important types of Intelligence, the one we used on a daily basis…
So glad to know that you liked the post and found it thought-provoking.. Thank you again also on Jose´s behalf…
Sending love & wishing you a great weekend 😀 😉

Yes, it is a thought-provoking post. And I admire your research and hard work. A post like this tells us that there’s a history to all that we have and are now: emotionally, psychologically. Historical narratives plug the gap and polish our understanding of the progress human civilization has made – don’t they. Thanks, once again – and have a great, great weekend!! 🙂

I love the magical cunning of Metis. Zeus also managed to not have the son who would defeat him, though. I don’t like that he took the power of Metis by eating her, though. That reminds of me tribes where they eat the heart of their enemy. Yuck! And that painting by Goya! Gives me a shiver. Fascinating as usual, Aquileana. The Greek myths make my family seem sane.

Hi there dear Brenda… Thanks so much for sharing your inisghts and for such a great comment… Zeus was not precisely “the model” of best behaviour I´d say…. And that… in so many ways!… Gods/Goddesses had many flaws and I guess that´s why they look like human beings at times. With their passions, jealousies, deceptions and rivalries. I am with you as to my family too, LOL… (Well…. that´s something, right!?) wishing you and your family a beautiful weekend, my friend. xx 😉 ❤

Amazing! As usual, you triggered off a parallel story from Indian Mytho in my mind.
Shukracharya had gift of rejuvenation, which is why demons were outnumbering gods. So gods sent Kacha to learn this mantra from Shukracharya. However, demons killed him, and made Shukracharya drink wine mixed with Kacha’s ashes.
To bring kacha back to life, Shukracharya would need to tear apart his own stomach, thus killing himself. So he was forced to teach Kacha the secret mantra, whereby after rebirth Kacha rejuvenated Shukracharya back to life.
NOT Actually cannibalistic, but close enough.

Hi there Sweetyshinde, Thanks so much for telling me about Shukracharya and Kacha in Indian Mythology… Always interesting to read your thoughts and to find similarities between myths among different cultures. I guess Carl Jung was right when he stated that many myths tend to look alike due to universal archetypes. Wishing you a beautiful day…Love & best wishes ⭐

Thanks, Aqui, for the lowdown on metis. As fascinating as metis in Greek mythology is the meaning of the word denoting mixed ancestry in Canada, like similar communities existing in North America, and, in particular, one of a group of people who in the 19th century constituted the so-called Metis nation in the areas around Red and Saskatchewan rivers. The need of the times is for the metis spirit to prevail, overcoming geographic barriers, bringing about a coalition of ideas and bridging cultural gaps.

Thank you for such an interesting comment dear Raj… I like how you interpret metis, given particular geographical and cultural circumstances in North America (US and Canada)… Your feedback and contributions are very much appreciated…. Sending love & best wishes ⭐

Hi there dear Irina… I completely agree with you… Metis is necessary to make it through under certain circumstances.. Very well said-.
Thank you very much for dropping in, reading, commenting and sharing on Twitter… I couldn´t be more grateful… sending love & best wishes!. I hope Spring is already in the air over there 😀 xx ❤

My pleasure, dear Aquileana. I love your posts and learning about the Greeks. So I’m grateful to you for making the subject matter easy to follow although Greek gods are doing their best to complicate things! 😉
You’re right, Spring is here, which is nice, but I don’t like Summer’s hot weather.
Have a great week! Hugs ❤ xxx

Kudos, Aquileana and Jose, on your collaboration! Amazingly detailed and informative. My mind will be applying metaphor to myth for many days hence. Thank you both for the enlightenment.
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
“It takes a village to educate a world!”

Welcome back to my blog , Amalia ! 🙂http://aliosapopovici.wordpress.com/2017/09/29/ All 10 vegetables are fresh and full of vitamins! 🙂
I warmly recommend them for daily consumption! 🙂 A nice week with lots of vegetables at the table! 🙂
Aliosa ! 🙂

Greek mythology shows very clearly that human origin was closely tied to divine affairs and that their interactions set the scene for passion and love. It is a very vibrant story that sometimes involves violence (in nowadays understanding) and strength and weakness of any being. The very opposites become clearly visible and that is to testify that everything has two sides. Greek mythology makes me think about our ancestors from another spaces and galaxies.

Hi there dear Inese. Thank you very much for such great comment… It really resonated with me…especially when you say: “The very opposites become clearly visible and that is to testify that everything has two sides”–> Excellent!… Very grateful for the visit and comment. Sending love & best wishes 😀

[…] his forehead. She has no mother but one of the most commonly cited stories is that Zeus lay with Metis, the goddess of crafty thought and wisdom, and then swallowed her whole as he feared she will give […]